Politics · Switzerland · 1 hr ago
SVP lawmaker proposes using federal budget growth to fund army expansion
Switzerland is debating how to pay for expanding its army.
SVP lawmaker Thomas Hurter has proposed using two-thirds of the growth in the federal budget for the army from 2028 through 2035.
He says funding for 2026 and 2027 has already been settled.
His plan would avoid raising value-added tax, which the government and the Council of States have considered as part of other funding proposals.
The Council of States’ compromise would raise the tax by 0.2 percentage points and direct half of the annual budget surplus to a security fund that could borrow up to 12 billion francs.
The SVP and FDP oppose a tax increase, and the SVP also rejects creating such a fund.
Hurter hopes his proposal can bring the two parties together, and says some politicians from the Centre party might support it.
He plans to present it to the National Council’s security policy committee, while checking whether it would require a constitutional change or could be approved by a federal decree.⟧
Swiss People’s Party lawmaker Thomas Hurter has proposed using two-thirds of federal budget growth to fund the army from 2028 to 2035.
He says the plan could allow the Swiss People’s Party and the FDP to agree on army funding without raising value-added tax.
Hurter presented the proposal ahead of meetings of the National Council’s security policy committee on Monday and Tuesday.
The Council of States has backed a different plan involving a smaller value-added tax increase and a security fund.
Hurter said he was checking whether his proposal would require a constitutional amendment or could be approved by a federal decree.
- Who
- Thomas Hurter, a Swiss People’s Party member of the National Council, proposed the plan.
- What
- He proposes directing two-thirds of federal budget growth to the army for eight years.
- When
- From 2028 to 2035.
- Where
- Switzerland; the proposal is for the National Council’s security policy committee.
- Why
- To fund army expansion and enable agreement between the Swiss People’s Party and the FDP without raising value-added tax.
Swiss People’s Party and FDP
Centre-left alliance
Army funding
Swiss People’s Party and FDP
The Swiss People’s Party and FDP are seeking a new funding arrangement and oppose a value-added tax increase in the National Council.
Centre-left alliance
The Social Democratic Party said it was open to discussing security policy with the FDP and the Centre; the article says the left is largely against army expansion.
Funding approach
Swiss People’s Party and FDP
Hurter proposes using two-thirds of federal budget growth for the army from 2028 to 2035.
Centre-left alliance
The article does not state a specific centre-left alternative to Hurter’s proposal.
I am making a new concept proposal to give the army more money.
We are extending our hand.
It would be irresponsible if the Centre were to get into bed with the left.
When I entered parliament 20 years ago, the federal budget was still under 60 billion francs.
The Council of States agreed on a compromise funding model that includes a 0.2 percent value-added tax increase and a security fund.
The Social Democratic Party said it was open to talks with the FDP and the Centre on security policy.
Hurter planned to present his new proposal at meetings of the National Council’s security policy committee.
Hurter’s proposal would direct two-thirds of federal budget growth to the army.
- Funding period
- 2028–2035
- Share of budget growth proposed
- Two-thirds
- Council of States’ proposed VAT increase
- 0.2 percent
- Security fund borrowing limit
- Up to 12 billion francs
- Existing army funding arrangements
- 2026 and 2027
Sources
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